The Real Deal New York

New documents reveal slowed growth in the number of permits issued to East End developers

February 06, 2019 11:19AM

Housing inventory in the Hamptons has surged in recent years, and now developers have filed fewer permits for “building, renovations, demolitions, electrical work, coastal erosion mitigation and renewals,” among other matters, according to 27east, which obtained documents under New York State’s Freedom of Information Law. Across the South Fork, the number of new permits rose just 2 percent last year when compared to 2017, a much slower growth rate than the two years prior, the outlet reported. In 2018, signs of building bounced back in most East End villages, with the biggest decreases in Southampton (down 3 percent) and East Hampton (down 1 percent), according to 27east. The slowdown comes as Nassau and Suffolk counties gained about 10,100 construction jobs between late 2017 and late 2018, according to numbers recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America, a trade association. Long Island Business News reported that represents a 13 percent increase over the previous year, bringing the total number of those employed in construction for both Long Island counties to 89,700. [27east]